Self-Healing Communications Network

A method of self-healing a communications network which has a parent controller configured to monitor and control the operation of a plurality of field controllers via control signals transmitted over a network bus, the parent controller further configured to communicate over the network bus via a first receiver/transmitter port, the first receiver/transmitter port and the plurality of field controllers connected to the network bus, the method comprising the steps of:

• monitoring communications from each of the plurality of field controllers;
• determining the number of field controllers connected to the network bus based on the monitored communications, and determining which network device is a terminal device on the network bus;
• detecting when there is a break in the network bus;
• and
• modifying any one of the plurality of field controllers to function as a terminal device on the network bus such that the parent controller retains the ability to monitor and control each of the plurality of field controllers.

A parent controller comprising:

• a first receiver/transmitter port configured to communicate over a network bus;
• a second receiver/transmitter port configured to communicate over the network bus;
• and
• control logic circuitry coupled to the first and second receiver/transmitter ports, the control logic circuitry configured to be connected to the network bus and further configured to detect a break in the network bus, wherein the control logic circuitry includes programmable elements configured to monitor and control a plurality of field controllers coupled to the network bus, and wherein, after the break is detected, the control logic circuitry is configured to automatically modify one or more of the plurality of field controllers such that the control logic circuitry retains the ability to monitor and control each of the plurality of field controllers.